Jesus teaches: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”. The laws of Moses and the teachings of the Prophets had one purpose, and the entirety of scripture reflects this purpose. Jesus said all the commandments are summed up in the “Great Commandment”: Love God and love those God loves! Likewise, Jesus in John’s Gospel gives us a new commandment, one that encompasses the great commandment and reframes it for all who claim to follow him: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)
Michael Yaconelli in his book, “Messy Spirituality” writes,
“When Jesus and his followers show up, it isn’t long before people start pointing fingers and calling names. Jesus was called all kinds of names: wine-bibber (what is a wine-bibber, anyway?), Sabbath breaker, blasphemer. Over the centuries, religious people have refined name-calling to an art. The name most commonly used today? Unspiritual!. . . One day we decided to become a follower of Christ, to seek his presence in our lives, and were doing our best to keep Jesus in our sights when we were shocked to discover our fellow “classmates” calling us names. “Ungodly. Uncommitted. Poor example. Unspiritual. Carnal. Unbiblical.” In other words, “you are ‘doing God’ all wrong.” (P.45 and 47)
The voices are many that, like the Pharisees, want to tell us we are “doing God all wrong”. As you journey with Jesus this Lent, listen to the only voice that matters, Jesus. Journey with Jesus and hear His call of redemption, and restoration; His call to be loved and to love.
I look forward to our continued journey through Lent. A journey that takes us from the road of ridicule, name calling, and spiritual bullying, to traveling the way of Love. Jesus reminds us, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35). Life lived from the mount of beatitudes; it’s all about love.
In Christ,
Pastor Doug